Italian Cheese Loaf Recipes

ITALIAN MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees and prepare a loaf pan with cooking spray or parchment paper.
• In a small bowl, toss cubed bread with milk. Set aside for 3-4 minutes to absorb.
• In a large mixing bowl, or the base of a stand mixer, combine fresh bread cubes soaked in milk, finely ground or micrograted onion, garlic Italian seasoning and salt. Mix to combine.
• Add crumbled ground beef and sausage, breaking into small pieces.
• Before mixing, top with Worcestershire sauce, lightly beaten egg, dry bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella and 1/4 cup marinara sauce.
• Blend until just mixed, either using your fingers to toss or putting the stand mixer on low. Too much mixing will make your meatloaf tough, so only mix until barely blended.
• Transfer meat mixture to cooking vessel of your choice, forming into a loaf as you go. You can make it free-form on a rimmed baking sheet, but I prefer using a meatloaf or bread loaf pan. Top with 1/2 cup marinara sauce.
• Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Remove and top with remaining shredded mozzarella cheese and another shake of Italian seasoning (if desired).
• Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving. Serve with additional marinara sauce, if desired.
• If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was!

CHEESY ITALIAN MEATLOAF RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF. and prepare 9x5 loaf pan by lining it with foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients, except 1/2 of the tomato sauce and the mozzarella.
• After ingredients are combined, transfer the meatloaf mixture to a flat surface, covered with parchment or wax paper. Shape the meatloaf into an oval or square and sprinkle most of the mozzarella over the middle of the meatloaf. Save about 1/4 cup of the mozzarella for the topping. Next, roll the meatloaf up and place it in the loaf pan. Use your fingers or the back of a spoon to press the meatloaf down so that it is all even at the top. Pour the reserved 1/2 of tomato sauce over the top and spread out evenly.
• Bake for 1 hour. Once cooked, remove from oven and sprinkle additional mozzarella cheese over the top. Bake for about 10-15 minutes more.
• Allow meatloaf to cool for about 10 minutes and then cut loaf into 8 even slices. Enjoy with a side salad or another favorite side dish!

ITALIAN CHEESE LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cut top half off loaf of bread. Carefully hollow out both halves of loaf, leaving a 1/2-in. shell (discard removed bread or save for another use). , Combine remaining ingredients. Spoon into bottom half of bread, mounding as necessary; replace top. Wrap in foil. Bake until cheese is melted, about 25 minutes. Slice and serve warm.

ITALIAN CHEESE-STUFFED MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Line 15x10x1-inch pan with foil; spray foil with cooking spray. In large bowl, beat eggs. Stir in ground beef, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, basil, salt, pepper, garlic and 1/2 cup of the pizza sauce until well combined.
• On large sheet of foil, shape beef mixture into 12x10-inch rectangle. Top evenly with provolone cheese, roasted peppers and olives to within 1/2 inch of edges. Starting with one 10-inch side, roll up; press seam to seal. Place seam side down in pan.
• Bake 40 minutes. Remove from oven; spoon remaining pizza sauce over loaf. Insert meat thermometer so bulb reaches center of loaf.
• Return to oven; bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until loaf is thoroughly cooked in center and thermometer reads 160°F. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

CHRISTMAS APPETISER: ITALIAN CHEESE LOAF

Steps:

• Spray a loaf pan with oil then line with cling wrap with overhang.
• Mix Cheese Log ingredients together. Taste and adjust salt if needed (bear in mind saltiness of crackers you are serving with).
• Scrape into loaf pan and level surface, pressing to remove air pockets. Smaller pan = taller loaf.
• Cover with cling wrap overhang and refrigerate for 4 hours+ (up to 1 week).
• Turn out onto platter, peel off cling wrap.
• Top with sun dried tomato and pour over oil. Garnish with parsley and rosemary sprigs to give it a festive look.
• Best to serve closer to room temp than fridge cold. Serve with crackers! Knives for smearing optional - it's soft enough to scoop with crackers.

ITALIAN MEAT LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Combine beef, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and Italian seasoning in a large bowl. Season with salt and black pepper. Transfer mixture to a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, about 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

ITALIAN MEATLOAF WITH RICOTTA CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 375 F (190 C). Line a roasting tray (with rack) with parchment paper.
• Add the onion, parsley and garlic to a food processor; pulse until finely minced, scraping down the sides if needed.
• In a large bowl combine the mixture with ground beef, eggs, ricotta cheese, Parmesan, Italian bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Mix just until combined. Don't overmix otherwise the meatloaf will be tough.
• Put the meat mixture into a loaf pan and form 7 x 9- inch loaf. Turn it out onto the prepared roasting tray with rack. Alternatively, you can form the loaf with your hands.
• Bake for 50 minutes in the preheated oven.
• Meanwhile, mix together the marinara sauce, onion powder and Italian seasoning in a medium bowl.
• Remove the meatloaf from the oven and spread the glaze over it. Bake further for 15 minutes or until cooked through. The meatloaf is done when the internal temperature reaches 160 F ( 71 C). Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
• Serve meatloaf over spaghetti pasta and top with pasta sauce (or marinara sauce), grated Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped parsley. Enjoy!

ITALIAN STYLE MEATLOAF I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, mix together ground beef, eggs, bread crumbs and ketchup. Season with Italian-style seasoning, oregano, basil, garlic salt, diced tomatoes and cheese. Press into a 9x5 inch loaf pan, and cover loosely with foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven approximately 1 hour, or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

MOZZARELLA STUFFED MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a glass baking pan (9x13) with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a large mixing bowl combine ground beef, bread crumbs, basil, oregano, parsley, salt, pepper, milk, and worcestershire sauce. Knead until combined.
• Divide meat in half. Shape one half of the meat into the bottom half of the loaf and place in prepared pan. Place mozzarella slices down the center, leaving 1/2 inch around the ends and sides. Shape remaining half of meat as the top half of the loaf, sealing the edges. This is a free-form loaf so it doesn't need to be perfect.
• In a small mixing bowl whisk together ketchup, brown sugar, worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, garlic, salt, and cayenne pepper. Pour half of this mixture over the meatloaf, reserving the remaining half for later.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
• After 45 minutes, remove from oven and pour the remaining sauce over the loaf. Increase temperature to 400 degrees and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
• Let rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving.